Sports
Duleep Mendis – a man on a mission
by Rex Clementine
When Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage unceremoniously sacked Duleep Mendis as Chairman of Selectors in 2012, the former Test captain took the blow on the chin. Rather than grumble about his misfortune – which had come less than a month after Sri Lanka had won a Test match in South Africa – he ventured at other opportunities and Oman came calling offering him a job as the Head Coach of their cricket team.
Oil-rich Oman was a cricketing outpost. From scratch, Duleep built a cricketing empire. First, he set up the infrastructure for the sport. Then a domestic tournament and finally fine-tuned the skills of the players who fared well in those local competitions. What Oman has achieved in cricket in just a short span is quite outstanding.
They have already featured in the T-20 World Cup and now they are threatening to earn one of the two remaining slots for the sport’s showpiece event later this year in India – the ICC Cricket World Cup.Incidentally, Duleep was Sri Lanka’s hero as they won the inaugural ICC Trophy, the qualifying round for the 1979 World Cup in England.
The Sri Lankan government had made life difficult for the cricket team in 1979 by refusing to play Israel in the qualifiers due to political reasons. This meant that there was little room for error having conceded four crucial points.
But Anura Tennekoon’s side had capable batsmen of the caliber of Duleep. He was the highest run-getter in the 1979 qualifiers having made 222 runs in four innings. Duleep was Man of the Match in the final top scoring with 66 runs against Canada in Worcester.
Then at the World Cup, as Sri Lanka shocked a star-studded Indian side at Old Trafford, Duleep was Man of the Match again smashing 64 in 57 balls. Long before Sanath Jayasuriya had given Manoj Prabhakar a hiding, Duleep had made Kapil Dev look an ordinary bowler. Sri Lanka take on Oman today in a group game of the Qualifiers in Bulawayo. This should be a cakewalk for the Sri Lankans as on paper they are a far superior side.
The man the Sri Lankan team would be fearing most in today’s clash is not any batter or mystery spinner in the Omani side, but a man named L.R.D. Mendis, whose meticulous planning is legendary. When it comes to cricket, Duleep leaves nothing for chance and he would have well in advance scripted how best Oman can upset Sri Lanka. The game features two of the brightest brains in cricket in Duleep and Mahela Jayawardene, Sri Lanka’s consultant coach.
The Sri Lankan team manager Mahinda Halangoda, ten years junior to Duleep at school at S. Thomas’, knows too well what to expect today and he will be telling his charges to take nothing for granted.
Holding is happily retired. Botham is tasting wine. Miandad is spending time with his grandkids. Chappell comes nowhere near a cricket field these days. But Duleep, who’ll be 71 soon, is still hooked on cricket. He has not lost one bit of his passion for the great game. When it comes to cricket Duleep is a beast.
Oman are almost through to the second round. They have shocked Ireland and overcome UAE and have a pretty good Net Run Rate. Even if they lose today, a win over Scotland in their final group game should take them through.
What a brilliant investment Oman have made in picking Duleep as their Head Coach. Apparently, the Sheikhs there treat him like a King. Indeed, he deserves all the royalty treatment. A prophet, the bible says, is not welcomed in his own country.
Forced to follow on after being dismissed for 111 runs, Risinu Kithmuka scored an unbeaten half century to anchor St. Servarius’ batting line up to force a draw to their Under 19 cricket encounter against S. Thomas’ at Mount Lavinia on Friday.
The dogged knock facing 121 balls, helped the visitor post 93 for five wickets at close.
In a match dominated by the home team, Aaron David’s century was the highlight for S. Thomas’. They posted 269 for four wickets at close on day one and declared on the overnight score.
Meanwhile at Kotahena, Mevan Dissanayake top scored with 91 runs inclusive of eight fours and three sixes for St. Benedict’s to post 295 for 9 declared against Sri Dharmaloka Kelaniya.
Results
Thomians dominate against St. Servatius’ at Mount Lavinia
Scores
S. Thomas’ 269 for 4 decl. in 73.3 overs (Jaden Amaraweera 40, Avinash Fernando 50, Aaron David 100n.o., Reshon Soloman 56; Lasindu Ramanayaka 2/87)
St. Servatius’ 111 all out 54.4 overs (Risinu Kithmuka 26, Thathsilu Bandara 20; Minon Warnasuriya 2/14, Chamash Gunawardena 2/24, Shanil Perera 3/18, Reshon Solomon 2/09) and 93 for 5 in 36 overs (Risinu Kithmuka 51n.o.; Aaron de Silva 2/30, Shanil Perera 3/23)
Bens 295 for 9 decl., Sri Dharmaloka 87/2 at Kotahena
Scores
St. Benedict’s 295 for 9 decl. in 56.4 overs (Mevan Dissanayake 91, Vihanga Rathnayake 42, Yohan Edirisinghe 31, Ayesh Gajanayake 49; Sathindu Praboda 4/98, Tharusha Mihiranga 2/66)
Sri Dharmaloka 87 for 2 in 25 overs (Senuka Pehesara 40, Kaveen Deneth 40n.o.; Ayesh Gajanayake 2/27)
by Reemus Fernando
Pakistan marched into the final of the Under 19 Asia Cup with a clinical eight wicket win over Bangladesh in the rain-hit semi-final in Dubai, after a dominant bowling performance led by Abdul Subban set up a straightforward chase. The victory sets up a final clash against India, who won the first semi final against Sri Lanka earlier in the day.
Opting to field after winning the toss in the rain-reduced 27-overs-a-side contest, Pakistan made early inroads as Bangladesh slipped to 24 for 2 inside six overs. Captain Azizul Hakim offered brief resistance to steady the innings, but wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals.
Fast bowler Subhan was the standout with the ball, picking up four wickets to dismantle the middle order. From 55 for 2 in the 13th over, Bangladesh lost five wickets for just 38 runs, collapsing to 93 for 7. The lower order struggled to rebuild, and Bangladesh were eventually bowled out for 121 in 26.3 overs, with no batter able to convert a start into a big score.
In reply, Pakistan’s chase was smooth. After the early loss of opener Hamza Zahoor in the first over, Sameer Minhas anchored the innings with a composed, unbeaten 69, ensuring there were no further hiccups. He struck six fours and two sixes as Pakistan cruised to 122 for 2 with 63 balls to spare.
With this knock, Minhas took his tournament’s tally to 299 to be the highest run-getter.
Brief scores:
Pakistan 122 for 2 in 16.3 overs (Sameer Minhas 69*, Usman Khan 27; Samiun Basir 1-17) beat Bangladesh 121 in 26.3 overs (Samiun Basir 33; Abdul Subhan 4-20, Huzaifa Ahasan 2-10)by eight wickets
[Cricinfo]
Vihaan Malhotra and Aaron George’s patient half-centuries helped India beat Sri Lanka in a rain-reduced game and set up an U-19 Asia Cup final with Pakistan.
It was a game where the momentum kept changing hands. India had Sri Lanka at 28 for 3 after opting to bowl. Captain Vimath Dinsara and Chamika Heenetigala hit back with a 45-run stand, but Sri Lanka soon lost 3 for 11. A 62-run stand between Heenatigala and Sethmika Seneviratne followed, but India again turned it around in the final three overs.
In reply, India were 25 for 2 as Sri Lanka sniffed a comeback. But Malhotra and George added an unbeaten 114 runs in a partnership of two halves: the first 62 runs they added took 51 balls, while the next 52 came off 36 deliveries. It was Malhotra who swung the game India’s way when he went 4, 4, 6 off Dulnith Sigera in the 13th over. Malhotra reached his fifty off 35 balls, while George took 43 balls.
India’s win was set up after their bowlers restricted Sri Lanka to 138. Kishan Singh and Deepesh Devendran struck early, while Vedant Trivedi’s direct hit ran Kavija Gamage out in the sixth over.
But Kanishk Chouhan struck twice in the 12th over, and Khilan Patel in the 13th, to force Sri Lanka to rebuild again. That brought Heenatigala and Seneviratne together. Seneviratne was the attacking of the two while Heenatigala, limping a little, was more patient. At 118 for 6 with three overs left, and with Seneviratne connecting it cleanly, Sri Lanka may have hoped to post 150. But just 20 runs amid two wickets in the last three overs applied the brakes on their scoring.
India will meet Pakistan in the final on Sunday.
Brief scores:
India Under 19s 139 for 2 in 18 overs (Vihaan Malhotra 61*, Aaron George 58*; Rasith Nimsara 2-31) beat Sri Lanka Under 19s 138 for 8 in 20 overs (Chamika Heenatigala 42, Vimath Dinsara 32, Sethmika Senevirathne 30; Henil Patel 2-31, Kanishk Chouhan 2-36) by eight wickets
[Cricinfo]
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